Bill: Big county JPs would have to be lawyers

Justices of the peace should have a law degree and a license to practice law in the major urban counties of Texas, says Rep. David Liebowitz, D-San Antonio, who has a bill that would impose such a requirement.

The Texas Legislature increased the jurisdiction for justices of the peace two years ago. They now can handle disputes up to $10,000. The previous threshold was $5,000.

A subcontractor, for example, may have an $8,000 dispute with a contractor and could take a contract case to a justice of the peace.

Many cases that once went to county or district court now end up before a justice of the peace because smaller dockets mean quicker hearings. But some of the cases ending up in a justice of the peace court are more complicated because higher dollar amounts are involved.

“This bill is not directed at rural counties. I know that JPs in rural counties have the Wisdom of Solomon,” Leibowitz said. “This is a large city issue.”

His bill would only involve counties with a population of at least one million people. Currently, that would be Harris, Bexar, Dallas and Tarrant. His bill also would grandfather incumbent justices of the peace in the urban counties.